Method for the iontophoretic administration of bisphosphonates

Abstract

A method for preventing the onset or advancement of osteoporosis or other metabolic bone disorders in a patient by iontophoretically administering to the patient an effective amount of a bisphosphonate which would be effective for preventing the onset or advancement of osteoporosis or other bone disorders and wherein the effective amount of bisphosphonate is delivered over a period of from about four (4) hours to about forty-eight (48) hours, at intervals of from about once a week to about twice a year and wherein the effective amount of bisphosphonate also contains an agent capable of chelating calcium.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for preventing the onset or advancement of osteoporosis or other metabolic bone disorders in a patient comprising: iontophoretically administering to the patient an effective amount of a bisphosphonate which would be effective for preventing the onset or advancement of osteoporosis or other bone disorder;   wherein an effective amount of bisphosphonate is delivered over a period of from about four (4) hours to about forty-eight (48) hours, at intervals of from about once a week to about twice a year; wherein the bisphosphonate administered iontophoretically is selected from the group consisting of: Etidronate, clodronate, pamidronate, alendronate, (6-amino-1-hydroxyhexylindene)bis-phosphonate, tiludronate, risedronate, (3-(dimethylamino)-1-hydroxypropylidene) bis-phosphonate, (1-hydroxy-3 (methylpentylamino) propylidene) bis-phosphonate (BM 21.0955), (1-hydroxy-3-(1-pyrrolidinyl)propylidene)bis-phosphonate (EB-1053) zoledronic acid, olpadronic acid, incadronic acid NE-10244, YH529 and mixtures thereof; and wherein the effective mount of bisphosphonate also contains an agent capable of chelating calcium in an amount effective to prevent interaction between the bisphosphonate and any residual calcium in the ionized substance reservoir.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein the agent capable of chelating calcium is citrate salts. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 2 wherein the citrate salt is citric acid. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein the agent capable of chelating calcium is EDTA.